The Magical Sado Island

Sado Island

Homecooked Delicacies

A typical Sado feast consists of three ingredients: a generous helping of high-quality local produce, layers of traditions, and a whole lot of heart.

If there’s one thing to be said about the people of Sado, it’s that they are nothing if not unyieldingly dedicated. With time-honoured culinary traditions and easy access to quality produce (as you’re about to find out on the next page), you can expect no less than a gastronomical affair for a typical homecooked meal in Sado.

It’s no wonder, then, that a Sado feast prepared for special occasions such as weddings would be deemed fit for royalty. Served on traditional Japanese-style lacquered tray-tables, a banquet meal comprises various small and artistically arranged dishes, each an evidence of the time and labour poured into creating it. Because of the self-sustaining farming system in Sado, many local families are able to easily get – if not grow their own garden of – fresh herbs and vegetables throughout the year. Some popular local dishes include: Sado nishime, a simmering pot of vegetable stew made up of radishes, carrots and bamboo shoots; grilled eggplants and peppers with bonito flakes; homemade fishcakes with shiso (basil) paste; freshly picked mountain vegetables served raw or lightly marinated; and grilled squid topped with goro (the intestines of the squid) and miso paste.

Of course, when you are in Sado, no banquet is complete without a bowl or two of koshihikari, a much-revered variety of Japanese short-grain rice. Koshihikari is also often used as sushi rice for futomaki (a large cylindrical sushi roll with three or more fillings) as well as inarizushi (a pocket of fried tofu-wrapped sushi rice) – these sushi dishes are usually served on a large communal tray for sharing.

(TEXT TAN LILI PHOTOGRAPHY MASANORI KAWAGUCHI / SYUNSUKE SHII/ KATSUYOSHI SEKINE)